16 Powerful Photos Of Women Proudly Baring Their Body Hair [NSFW]

Many people see their body hair choices as reflections of their gender, sexuality, and femininity. Patriarchal standards deem body hair like thick hair on arms or faces as "manly" or "unfeminine." Some women, though, are flipping this association on its head — instead viewing their body hair as an important and powerful aspect of their identity. And, many of them continue to encounter sexist double standards in response to their choices.

Culture's relationship with women's body hair is always in flux. The '90s and aughts served women a highly groomed (and difficult to maintain) vision of hairlessness. Eyebrows were tweezed to pencil-thin lines and the take-it-all-off Brazilian had a moment. Now, sensibilities are swinging back in the other direction, with more women opting for a full brow, a full bush, and lower-maintenance looks for the rest of their body hair. Ahead, we speak with 10 women who are making the choice to skip the shave.